Carnival
 

Fascination or Inspiration: <BR>I am researching information on these two cruise ships to the Southern Carribean. <BR>These two ships leave from San Juan which is a little unconvenient for us since we live in Maryland. These were the only two Carnival ships that we could find that go to the Sourthern Carib. <BR>Any advise from previous travelers would be appreciated. Many thanks

SKIP CARNIVAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! <BR>

Why in the world would you only choose Carnival Ships when there are so many different lines to choose from? <BR>I also would SKIP CARNIVAL!!!!!!!!!!!

Crystal: the older Carnival ships are good if you like sailing on a mall like ship and disco atmosphere. the newer carnival ships, the Destiny and Triumph are more stylish and less malllish&gt; but they leave out of miami. try the Norwegian DREAM it goes from San juan, ST LUCIA, ST. Johns, St kitt, ST Croix and St. Thomas, or royal caribbean Monarch of the sea. Monarch goes from San Juan, St. Thomas, Martinque, Barbadoes, Antiqua, and ST Martin in 7 days sites are RCCL.com Rccl is the better o

I, too, would skip Carnival. Too glitzy and food and entertainment are marginal. Emphasis seems to be on fun only and many other catagories suffer. I would suggest checking RCCL, Princess or Celebrity. So many other ships that are far superior to Carnival in service, food and entertainment and you'll find their prices to be comparable in most instances. Summer is always higher priced and LOTS of kids, as are holiday periods. Try spring or fall for better prices. <BR>

Hi Crystal! <BR>We have sailed on Carnival before <BR>and never been disappointed! <BR>In fact, we will be booking on the <BR>Inspiration's 14 May 2000 sailing <BR>date-- visiting St. Thomas, St. Lucia, <BR>Aruba and Curacao. We also <BR>plan to spend 2 days post-cruise in <BR>San Juan as well. As a basis of <BR>comparison, we also have sailed on <BR>Norwegian Cruise Lines, and <BR>Holland America and have enjoyed <BR>all 3 cruise lines. Each cruise line <BR>is different and has something to <BR>offer. Carnival is not elegant, but <BR>it is a fun ship and decorated with <BR>a lot of whimsy. Carnival has recently <BR>upgraded their menu-- lobster will <BR>be included at least once during the <BR>cruise; the children's menu is now <BR>presented in a small booklet with <BR>a packet of crayons; fountain fun <BR>card for passengers 21 and under to <BR>purchase unlimited soda for $18 for <BR>7 days; bathrobes included as an <BR>amenity in categories 8, 9, 10, 11 & <BR>12; oversized logo towels placed <BR>nightly for guests to use on deck or <BR>ashore. Another new option is <BR>pre-paid gratuities: gratuities can <BR>be pre-arranged and pre-paid at the <BR>time of booking, or anytime up to 2 <BR>weeks prior to sailing-- for a 7 day <BR>cruise, that would be $66.50 per <BR>guest. You will receive gratuity <BR>coupons with your cruise documents <BR>and distribute those coupons at the <BR>last evening of the cruise--- there <BR>will be a coupon for your waiter, <BR>busboy, room steward, etc. The <BR>dollar amount for the pre-paid <BR>gratuities will appear in the Miscellaneous Charge field of your <BR>cruise documents. <BR>Carnival is a good cruise line-- we <BR>look forward to our cruise in May! <BR>One other thing-- some people like <BR>this feature and Carnival is the only <BR>line that offers---- a topless optional <BR>sundeck. It is located at the very <BR>top sundeck located around the <BR>funnel. Not many people know <BR>about this feature-- some like it, <BR>some don't. <BR>E-Mail me if you have any other <BR>questions about Carnival! I'll be <BR>happy to answer them! <BR>Janice ([email protected]) <BR>

Crystal, <BR> <BR>All the posts have good information. Think you either are misinformed or perhaps a first time cruiser. Many cruise lines as mentioned in this forum, sail the Southern Caribbean. I've never cruised Carnival so I cannot comment. There was a thread posted a short time ago, asking for cruise websites. Think you may want to look there, and access some [or all] of the sites for additional Southern Caribbean cruise suggestions. In addition, have you phoned a travel agent who could give you several different cruise line brochures...this could help decide which is best for you.

Been on lots of cruises and have always had a great time. But if you are looking to have a FUN time, than Carnival is the best!

I sell a lot of carnival and have sailed it a few times, personally for the money I think it is quite good, actually thought I would not like it, and was surprized to find out i did, i did not like the Celebration, but the fantasy class ships like the Fascination and Inspiration were great..Good entertainment and lots to do. I have groups on both the ships you are interested in and can tell you the one on the Fascination is far outselling the Inspiration, since the ships are virtually the same, I personally think the Fascination has the better itinerary, I have been to most of the ports for both and would chose the Fascination. But I think you would like either..have fun on your cruise, whatever you choose!

Are you looking for CCL? Perhaps due to price or the fact that you like the cruise line? <BR> <BR>We're taking our 3rd cruise on CCL, on the Triumph in 5 weeks...recommend CCL in a heartbeat! <BR> <BR>Was on RCI twice in the past year (most recent was VOS) and felt CCL beat them hands down re: food, shows, cabin, staff,etc <BR> <BR>Re: what line, two thumbs up here, for CCL! <BR> <BR>To the folks who said don't take CCL, have you actually cruised on CCL and if so, what were your reasons for debunking CCL, what didn't you like (or heard 2nd hand, or read about?)

We sure have taken CCL and we tried it more than once. I have never had worse food or service. <BR>They might be a great line if you like wet T-Shirt contests and like to stay drunk most of the time, but......I think we could do that sort of stuff if we stayed home. <BR>With CCL now trying to buy Princess, our cruising days might just be about over. Because if Carnival was the only line out there, we'd fly to our destination.

Oh, quit the gloom and doom, Bill!! <BR>Keep in mind that Carnival also <BR>owns Holland America and their <BR>service and reputation hasn't been <BR>tarnished at all. We have sailed on <BR>both Carnival and Holland America <BR>(and NCL) and yes, both lines deliver <BR>a different product to a different <BR>profile of clientle. However, I never <BR>saw or participated in any activities <BR>on Carnival that I would regret. <BR>Yes, there were a few passengers <BR>who were a little boisterous and <BR>there were the usual knobby knees <BR>contest---( I never saw a wet T-Shirt contest) but if you have a sense <BR>of humor and enjoy people-watching, <BR>you will have fun! In recent years, <BR>especially in the past year Carnival <BR>has improved their menus and <BR>upgraded their amenities. If a <BR>potential passenger is a fan of <BR>gourmet dining, high tea, fine cigars, <BR>genteel and elegant atmosphere, <BR>Carnival is not for you. But if you <BR>enjoy fun and laughs then Carnival <BR>is for you. My husband and I are <BR>considered by federal tax guidelines <BR>to be "upper middle class"--- but <BR>we sure don't feel like it and it's <BR>great to find a cruise line that we can <BR>afford and have a good time! By the <BR>way, neither of us drink beer and I <BR>enjoy an occasional glass of wine <BR>or more often a great Pina Colada. <BR>So there! For all those who have <BR>a great sense of humor and fun, no <BR>matter what you do for a living, <BR>Carnival is a great line to go on! And <BR>I don't go on Carnival just for the <BR>food either! <BR>Janice <BR>

Crystal - <BR> <BR>You can experience all the fun others seem to think is only available on Carnival on so many other lines and get much better food, service and entertainment than you could ever hope for on Carnival. We have been on 15 cruises (#16 this coming Saturday!) on all different lines (yes, several on Carnival!) to all different destinations and for the money you spend on a cruise, you can get so much more on other lines than Canrival. Yes, you can have fun on Carnival, but don't go expecting much when it comes to service, quality of food or entertainment. <BR>Do yourself a favor and check on other lines before you settle for Carnival. Fun is not exclusive to Carnival and other lines offer fun and SO MUCH MORE for a comparable price to Carnival. <BR>Let's just hope Princess doesn't get doesn't get bought by Canrival, leaving those of us who want more than just fun from our cruise dollars with one less quality option. <BR>

You summed it up pretty good their Kathy. Why is it that Carnival is the one line that gets so many responses when a question is asked? Where as any other line will not get any where near that amount of pros and cons. To me it tells me that there are as many out there that dislike that line as there are that like it. I have never found that high of ratio with any other line. Why would anyone that had a choice use Carnival except for a cheap first cruise when they don't know any better? I sure don't know.

For Hal: <BR> <BR>Ok first off, have you ever been on a CCL cruise or just speaking from what you've read or heard 2nd hand? <BR> <BR>Just what dis-pleases you about CCL...be specific now? <BR> <BR>BTW, if I had to rate a cruise as the 'worst I've been on', it would have to be a RCI cruise: loud drunken passangers, bad food, bad dining room service, rude waiters, a un-ship shape ship, etc. <BR> <BR>Contrary to popular or mis-guided belief, even HAL, Celebrity, Princess, etc, can offer bad cruise experiences. <BR> <BR>

Yes, I have been on CCL on three seperate occasions in the last 12 years. The first, not too awful bad, but then again it was my very first cruise and it was only three days. The second experience about 6 years ago, not really great after having other lines to compare it to, but again a short cruise, lots of room for improvement in the service and food departments especially. The last and final time was for 10 days and after the first 3 days it just got steadily worse. there were no single areas that needed improvement, the entire cruise needed improvement, from service to food to cruise staff attitude. After a few days, I told my Wife, I WILL NEVER SET FOOT ON ANOTHER CARNIVAL SHIP AS LONG AS I LIVE, and I meant it. That also goes for HAL because it is owned by Carnival. After comparing this line over 12 years, I have seen a steady decline in all aspects of the ships we have sailed on that belong to their fleet. None of my feelings come from second hand information, they are all from experience. And since two of the three cruises over that time span were not good, I think that should tell you something. <BR>P.S. I have been on several different lines besides Carnival and never had one complaint. Things go wrong on every cruise, but CCL is a lawsuit looking for a place to happen.

Here are the facts--- over at <BR>www.cruiseopinion.com I read over <BR>80 reviews of the Inspiration which <BR>had an overall score of 91 based on <BR>the total number of reviews. I <BR>personally found that most of the <BR>reviews were positive and only a <BR>minority were negative. My reading <BR>of all the reviews included the past <BR>archived reviews beginning in 1996 <BR>and ending with the most recent <BR>review dated 16 May 1999. I am <BR>really curious as to why I have read <BR>more postive reviews than negative <BR>reviews --- perhaps those who were <BR>unhappy with Carnival were in the <BR>minority but were more vocal. <BR>Carnival is not a traditional cruise <BR>and those unhappy with any <BR>departure from the traditional were <BR>more visceral in their opposition to <BR>Carnival. Bottom line is that <BR>Carnival has more pleased passengers and is not lacking in <BR>repeat passenger business and <BR>appears to have no problems in <BR>booking all their cabins. So like it <BR>or not, Carnival is very successful <BR>in producing a cruise product that <BR>apparently pleases most people. <BR>Janice <BR>

If you have ever tried to post a review at cruiseopinion.com that is not positive, you would know why most that you read have good comments. <BR>I know of several people that have sent me their reviews that critized CCL, after they had submitted them to cruiseopinion. they were never excepted by cruiseopinion.com. <BR>Imagine that, someone that sells cruises not wanting to post any bad review???? I wonder why not? Think about it. After these were sent to me, I myself tried to post a non-positive review of the ship we were on, they would not include it in their reviews. <BR>They will post reviews with a slight criticism, but nothing that I would call "very critical". <BR>It would be very unbusinesslke of them to post bad reviews of something that they sell. Did you happen to pay close attention to how many cruises these people that had their reviews posted have been on? Take another look. MOST have only sailed CCL or it was their first cruise. Not much to compare there.

Thank you for posting about cruiseopinion.com's bias in posting reviews. I have been reading some of these reviews (for several lines) and have noticed that none of them are terrible reviews. While it seems unlikely that no one would have a terrible review, I never thought that certain reviews were not being posted. It would make sense that the site doesn't want to bite the hand that feeds them.

I know you what you mean about posting bad reviews or opinions on on cruise line. <BR> <BR>Check out the rec.travel.cruise news group. More likely than not, you post something bad about cruising, you get slammed. <BR> <BR>Anyhow, I'd sail on CCL again, before I set foot on RCI! <BR> <BR>Have done two cruises with each line, CCL is better IMHO...price, food, staff, condtion of ship, cabins, etc. <BR> <BR>Hal, when was the last time you tried CCL? <BR> <BR>Anyhow, I respect your option, and you're a CCL basher who actually cruised on CCL, not someone who read something or heard from Aunt Selma that she didn't like CCL. <BR> <BR>Yah, I defend CCL, I like them, don't see the wild parties, the drunks, the wet tee-shirt constests, that people say exitst. <BR> <BR>Yah, a little too much on neon, but the Destiny was toned down a bit, and I understand the Triumph is toned down, even further. <BR> <BR>Ya know, a bad day cruises beats a good day at the office, any time!

Bottom Line: As far as cruiseopinion <BR>and several other sites with <BR>passenger reviews are concerned, <BR>there are still a lot of very satisfied <BR>passengers who enjoyed their <BR>cruises--- and like it or not, that is <BR>all that matters. <BR>Jan <BR>

I've cruised Carnival (Celebration) hated it and choose not to go back. I do find that people either love Carnival or hate the line....not many in between. If you are one of the people that loves Carnival, more power to you and enjoy your cruises with them!!

<BR>Here I am again, your friendly travel agent. <BR>This time I am not defending Carnival. Everyone has their own opinion i.e. I always question my past passengers. ALL have complaints about ALL cruise lines, but all minor. Carnival Corp. is the largest company and have the largest sailing population therefore more complaints. <BR> <BR>Here's the bottom line: Sail on <BR>Carnival and take a peek into the main showroom when they have the past passenger party. There are well over 1,000 passengers. Believe it or not, 90% SENIOR CITIZENS. Standing room only. <BR> <BR>And boy, do seniors complain. Main reason: They hope for a $250 coupon to use on their next cruise. <BR> <BR>Carnival, at one time was a terrible cruise line, but times have changed. <BR> <BR>Paul

Hi Paul: You forgot to mention somethings. Have you ever asked yourself why Carnival is the most traveled Cruise Line? Answer: Because they are the least expensive of all lines while still supplying a large ship. <BR>Would I recommend them for someones first cruise? Answer: Why yes, if you liked Carnival, you will love the rest of the lines. <BR>I see your point that they have more passengers, therefore more complaints. But I still feel that they have more serious complaints than the other lines. <BR>If you want quality you have to pay for it, if you are satisfied with discount quality, then you can go Carnival and spend very little. But don't look for them to back up their product if you should have a problem while sailing with them. <BR>Spend just a little more and you have a lot better chance of having a wonderful cruise, where as with Carnival, it is only about 50/50. Good Luck! Sue <BR>

Sue: <BR> <BR>I'd have to disagree with you. <BR> <BR>We had taken two CCL cruises (Ecstasy and Destiny) and wanted to try another line. <BR> <BR>So we 'spent a little more' and tried RCI and guess what...we liked both of the CCL cruises beter. <BR> <BR>We even gave RCI a second chance and took their newest ship in May (VOS), and still liked CCL better. <BR> <BR>Our plan is to do what I call going up the food chain of cruise lines. <BR> <BR>Next will be NCL, then Princess, then Hal or Celebrity. <BR> <BR>Sometimes, you don't get what you paid for, if you know what I mean. <BR> <BR>BTW, we are not party type folks, so count that out for our reason on liking CCL, plus folks who do like to party and <BR>where on those CCL cruise, never bothered us. <BR> <BR>What we do like is to be entertained, never bored, have a decent size cabin, with a attentitive staff, good food, for a nice price, with newer ships, and activites for our kids, and in our 2 CCL experiences, CCL more than met the above.

<BR>Paul, I agree with you 110%!! We <BR>are in our 50's now--- my husband <BR>a budget analyst with the federal <BR>government and I am a former <BR>schoolteacher and criminal <BR>intelligence officer, we are not <BR>gamblers or beer drinkers or real <BR>live wire party-goers. BUT we still <BR>enjoyed the Carnival experience <BR>and plan to book the Inspiration's <BR>new itinenary 14 May 2000 cruise <BR>today. By the way, our last Carnival <BR>cruise was on the Sensation two <BR>years ago--- great time! <BR> <BR>Janice

<BR>Here's you friendly travel agent again defending Carnival. <BR> <BR>For a while it was fun responding to all the wackos that are coming out or the woodwork, but now it is getting really insane. <BR> <BR>I was really amused by the person who would never sail on Holland America since it was owned by Carnival. Gee whiz, Carnival also owns Costa, Windstar and the very upscale Seabourn and Cunard. Not much left to sail on, is there? <BR> <BR>I have been on 55 cruises. Have sailed on just about every ship. My favorite for fun, economy, food, service and entertainment continues to be Carnival and I am 62 years old and do not drink. And by the way, I have a 9 year old daughter that just loves Camp Carnival. <BR> <BR>Kudos to the author Paul([email protected]). He knows what he is talking about. <BR>

I didn't come out of the woodwork and I am not a wacko writing just to write. <BR>I am serious when I said that we will never cruise on a line owned by Carnival. That includes HAL and Cunard and the rest. <BR>For someone who has been on so many cruises, you aren't very knowledgeable when you feel that Carnival owned lines are the only ones out there. <BR>As long as there are others left, we will keep cruising Princess, Celebrity and RCI, and the rest. <BR>Now that tells you that something really awful must have happen to have us feel that way. <BR>Have fun on your 56th cruise, on a Carnival line. At least I know that you won't be seated at our table on one of our next cruises and that is a refreshing thought. <BR>Just because someone disagrees with your choice (for good reasons) does not make them a wacko. <BR>

Sue (or S.A.)--- <BR>Are you still continuing your tirade <BR>against Carnival????? I remember <BR>your first posting dated 1/18/1998 <BR>which resulted in 66 replies and now <BR>you are starting it up again! I cannot <BR>see how you can base one unhappy <BR>experience with one of Carnival's <BR>oldest ships and at the same time <BR>put Holland America, Costa, <BR>Seabourn, Windstar in the same <BR>group of ships you'll never go on <BR>just because Carnival owns them!! <BR>You are lumping apples and oranges <BR>into the same basket!! <BR>We have been on Carnival, NCL, <BR>Holland America, and Princess and <BR>enjoyed all the cruises! We have <BR>stayed in the Ritz-Carleton, Holiday <BR>Inn, Red Roof Inn, Hampton Inn, <BR>Wyndham Hotel, Walt Disney World <BR>hotels and yes, some were better <BR>than others but we never had any <BR>really bad experiences!! Guess we <BR>know how to roll with the punches, <BR>have a good time, let time heal and <BR>try, try again--- most of the time we <BR>succeed with fine vacations. Time <BR>to give it a rest, Sue (or S.A.). Don't <BR>worry, I won't respond to any more <BR>Carnival- Bashing----- enough is <BR>enough. <BR>Janice

<BR>O.K. I give up. Carnival is the worse cruise line in the world, but I will continue to book the line since it is the most popular in the world! <BR> <BR>Here's my input on the second most popular cruise lines: Norwegian, who I (personally) think has the best food now has the most neglected ships. The ships are falling apart. <BR> <BR>Royal Caribbean is a fine line but the food and service has been suffering the past couple of years. <BR> <BR>Celebrity, who had the best food of all the mass market cruise lines is now being downgraded since it was purchased by Royal Caribbean. <BR> <BR>The Grand Princess is the most beautiful ship in the world. Great cruise line but the food is up and down. Sue will have to sail Princess soon since they are in talks with Carnival. <BR> <BR>I think Costa is great but it is an entirely different experience and it is not for all. <BR> <BR>Everything is great on Holland America. A wonderful mid-priced line. Only receive a couple of complaints each year and nothing serious. The best line of all the above and my personal favorite in it's class. <BR> <BR>Now my favorite of the luxury lines (the price of a small automobile), my rating in order: Crystal, Silversea, Seabourn, Radisson and last Cunard (depending on the ship). <BR>Never receive a complaint except for Cunard. Carnival Corp. will bring that line back to popularity. <BR> <BR>These lines have the best itineraries, best food and best service. 24 hour pampering. You will meet many old, rich, rather stuffy passengers. Not much fun, but you will have the best cruise ever. These are REAL cruise lines. Book well in advance since the ships sell out very quickly. <BR> <BR>There are many other great cruise lines but they do not have major fleets and I am out of time. <BR> <BR>Thanks for the support Betsy. I too love all cruise lines (except for my last three on NCL). <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Hey Paul.... <BR> <BR>or should we call you mr.kathy lee...:) <BR> <BR>a little economics and consumer education.... <BR> <BR>Those who understand the override commission structure can certainly see why an agent would push a single line...after you sell a certain number of units the percentage increases or there is a further kick back payment... <BR>if an agency is only going to sell a certain number of cruises (for approximately the same total $ amount)the commissions will be higher when those sales are concentrated into a single line.... <BR> <BR>The consumer should understand that each line is unique and offers a diferent experience. Anyone who understands economics knows there is no free lunch and an efficient market will regulate itself...you do not get Halekulani service from Motel 6. Why anyone would expect that there would be no differentiation between cruise lines when there is such a wide range of prices...Carnival makes money on volume...you know,like McDonald's .... don't they say "billions served" rather than billions satisfied?..... <BR> <BR>It would be nice to find agents that actually qualifed their customers and fit them into the product that is most suited to their likes and dislikes, within their budget...rather than agents who are out for self interest and high commissions..it is rare these days to find anyone in the service sector that puts true customer satisfaction first....those that provide this type of service in any occupation are certainly the top 1%. <BR> <BR>This lack of true service is a reason why e-commerce is proliferating...by the way, if you have to put up with biased opinions and bad service then why not try to save as much $$$ as you can via the internet. Security is no problem if you deal with reputable firms. <BR> <BR>if you can't find an agent that will really take the time and provide knowledgable service...then I am afraid you are on your own and I suggest that you do your own research to find the appropriate products... <BR> <BR>moral, find the product that suits your needs, then and only shop price. If you cannot afford the price, then you have to make some compromise on which product you purchase. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Congratulations Tom, you seem like a very intelligent person. I totally agree with your view. <BR>And yes Janice, I will continue to tell future cruisers what Carnival is really like, whether you agree or not. <BR>If this board was only for positive comments about lines, then potential cruisers would not ever find out the weaknesses of cruise lines. <BR>Now to hear from my partner: <BR>This is Sue's husband and I have to tell you that you are getting the mild side from Sue. If it were me writing on these boards about Carnival, you would really get an ear full. <BR>She will continue Janice, and if she doesn't, I WILL! <BR>Carnival will never be on our cruise calendar again and that goes for any line owned by them. As far as Carnival buying Princess (or any other line for that matter), any lined owned by Carnival will never be cruised by anyone in this family. So neither of us have anything to worry about do we. We will never be on the same cruise together and that's all that counts. Sue's husband Bob <BR>

Tom, I agree with yiu completely. I have really appreciated and learned from your comments on this forum. You are gifted at looking at the total picture and putting things into perspective. <BR>I hope that Carnival does not purchase Princess. Princess is vehemently denying that negotiations are taking place. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Our best cruise experiences have been on Princess.

I have never been on CCC, but have spoken with people that have cruised with them, and had a great time. It is just what makes us all different, choices that we have and make. Frankly, it's great that they have a non-smoking ship. Frankly, that would appeal to me! <BR>However, I think the worst cruise line is NCL. They have horrible food, dirty ships, and after the crash in the English Channel, it confirms my thoughts that they have "junior" young men at the bridge. Most of them looked like they were not over 21! But, back the CCC, give people your opinions, it is very helpful...but stop the bashing! It does not do any good. What ever ship you go on, it is a great way to travel.